


Stolen Kisses

by ineffablesaltflower



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Falling In Love, Hair Braiding, Haldir and Legolas meet as young elves, M/M, Stargazing, Teenage AU, Young Haldir, Young Legolas Greenleaf
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29762172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesaltflower/pseuds/ineffablesaltflower
Summary: Haldir is a young Marchwarden, Legolas a young Prince. They meet at the borders of Lothlórien and Mirkwood and realize, that there are way more interesting things on the other side.I'm bad at descriptions, I promise it's cute.
Relationships: Haldir of Lothlórien/Legolas Greenleaf
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	Stolen Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!!!
> 
> It's finally flowers fic sunday again!! After being gone for almost a month, it feels like I haven't written in ages, which might be the reason if the fic feels a little rusty haha.
> 
> I missed y'all and your nice comments and everything. I will hopefully pick up my fic writing habit again like I used before the move.
> 
> Because since two weeks I finally finished moving out, which gives me a bit more time again.
> 
> Anyways, I'll stop talking now and hope you enjoy this fic as much as you enjoyed the others.
> 
> Love always,  
> Flower.

> _"First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity." — George Bernard Shaw_  
>    
> 

Haldir stared at his bow leaning against the wall through the mirror as he braided his hair back and out of his face, sighing quietly when Rúmil crossed his arms and pouted at him through the mirror.

"Why can't we go with you?", he asked with wide eyes, almost the same way he looked at him when Haldir explained that this was their new home now and that they would stay here.

Haldir just finished braiding his hair and turned around, Rúmil immediately climbing onto his older brothers lap. Haldir wrapped his arms around him and caressed a lose strand of hair out of the elflings face.

"Because you're too young and too small.", he explained and perhaps his voice was a little proud too. Not every elf could become a Marchwarden of Lothlórien, so he was more than proud that this chance was offered to him and his brothers.

He remembered it like it was yesterday, Lady Galadriels bright laugh when the elfling asked when he could finally go on patrol on his own. She had leaned down and picked a leaf out of his hair and said: "Once you are taller than your bow, you shall keep the woods safe on your own."

How excited the brothers were when Haldir finally, finally grew taller than his bow and the elves in training noticed and gave him a route.

It was a small one and would only take a handful of minutes to finish and there were older elves near in case something went wrong, but he could go on his own. That was all that mattered.

His brothers were only sad when they realized they couldn't go with him. It was hard for Haldir as well to leave them behind. But the excitement of going on patrol was higher.

"I have to go."

He kissed Rúmils forehead and picked him up while he got up. He was slowly getting too heavy for Haldir to pick up and Rúmil knew that. Even as Haldir had grown stronger, Rúmil grew a good few inches over the past months. He made himself even heavier, probably hoping to stop Haldir from leaving.

But the elfling was soon tickled by Haldir, tickling away the bad mood and tears which threatened to spill. That way it wasn't all too bad when Orophin came to release Haldir from the iron grip of their baby brother and wished him well on his trip.

Oh, of course he just wanted to go as bad as Rúmil, but he understood that they had to wait. He just needed to grow a little more.

"Take care.", Orophin said as Rúmil nuzzled his face into his side, hiding a little as they waved Haldir.

Haldirs heart was heavy as he waved them back, but picked up the bow. He did not wish to be late on his first day, he took this all very seriously.

In fact, he took everything quite serious which mirrored on his face and made him look way older than he actually was.

It was just a small route he had to patrol on his own and help would never be far in case troubles occurred. But it still made him proud, climbing from one tree to another like he was made for it. Someone would not think that they were not born as one of Lóriens elves.

But Haldir loved it with every passing day, loved the trees and the elves living with them, loved listenting to the whisper of the wind and trees, the stories of old tales and future happenings.

But right now his mind was sharp and focused on the way in front of him, of not the whisper of the trees but the sounds of approaching animals and creatures that did not belong here.

May it other elves or men or dwarves or even worse, orcs. No one would get past him, he would make sure of it.

With a stern look he jumped to another tree, holding still as soon as he landed on a broad branch.

He was almost at the border right now, only a few trees away when he picked up some strange sounds.

Haldir realized it was an elf soon, a clear voice with a song he did not recognize echoing through the forest.

It didn't really sound like a threat.

But the young Marchwarden wanted to do what he was supposed to do, keep Lórien and its elves safe from every trespasser they did not expect.

So he moved forward, branch for branch — silently, like a ghost.

Close, close. He was so very close.

Just another tree —

Down, there on the road.

Bright, blonde hair glinting through the tree, not a grown elf, no.

Haldir reached for another branch — careful, now.

He learned so many times how to drop himself from a tree and immediately landing in a fighting stance.

So many times until he remembered it in his sleep. Until it felt natural.

He reached for a branch and his bow, another step —

— and he was so distracted by the young elf climbing through the trees as if it was his, that he missed another step and lost its footing, falling before he knew what was happening and landing in a bunch of dried leaves.

Great. Wonderful. Luckily his brothers didn't see or the other Marchwardens.

For a moment he just laid there, staring at the sky and contemplating his own choices.

Until a head moved into his sight and Haldir blinked up at him, hand searching for his bow he must have dropped in the fall.

But instead of a threat or another arrow to his head he only heard a chuckle and finally his eyes adjusted against the bright sky and he noticed a young elf, staring at him and apparently trying really hard not to laugh all too loud.

Legolas hid his chuckle behind his mouth but he simply couldn't contain himself.

For a moment he surely almost had a heart attack when someone suddenly dropped out of the tree ahead of him. He really thought he had went too far from home or possibly one of the spiders that are said to live in the depth of his woods would have found him.

But apparently he only strayed too close to the borders of Lothlórien, because he recognized the clothes of the Marchwardens he sometimes watched from further away.

"Did you get hurt?", he asked now, still leaning about the slightly older elf.

"No.", Haldir grumbled and gave up searching for the bow while he still laid in a pile of leaves, instead he jumped up and made sure to get some distance between them.

"What are you doing here?", he asked, determined to not get distracted of his job even more.

"Taking a walk.", Legolas explained and shrugged as he crossed his arms. "You got some twigs in your hair by the way."

The princeling grinned again and moved swiftly to pick out the twigs from Haldirs blonde hair.

"There you go. You're welcome.", he said without waiting for the reaction of the young Marchwarden.

Haldir was relieved that the forest was a bit darker around here, less sky from above thanks to the giant trees spreading their leaves and branches. Or otherwise the other might have seen the embarrassing shade of red spreading over his cheeks for a moment too long.

"Thanks.", he grumbled and picked his bow and fallen arrows from the ground. "You shouldn't be around here."

"And why is that?", Legolas asked innocently, pale eyes bright and full of mischief and joy.

"Because this is the realm of the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, and no one else is supposed to set their foot over the border without consent.", Haldir explained, the speech sounding a little like he practiced it at night in his bed when he could not sleep.

Perhaps he did.

"Oh.", Legolas answered as if he did not know, staying silent as he was thinking and squinting at the trees above him.

"But I did not overstep the borders, in fact I am still in my fathers land, which will be mine one day and it was you who fell into it.", he explained then, the grin returning onto his face.

This was fun. And absolutely not boring at all.

Haldir followed Legolas' gaze and realized that the younger elf was right. They were almost exactly on the invisible border, and his fall had been in the lands of the woodland realm like his mother had called it, or Mirkwood, how he had overheard the other elves in Lothlórien speaking about it in a not quite fond manner.

"Right.", he answered slowly and trailed off. "My mistake then."

"Whats your name?", Legolas asked, full of curiosity and so much bored energy, which was the reason why he had strayed so far from his home. His father had some important meetings and no time for him and he was bored of the woods directly around their home.

Besides he had heard about the beauty of Lothlórien, but not that the Marchwardens were so young and exceptionally cute.

"..Haldir.", he slowly answered, deciding that maybe the other could be trusted to an extent, though he did not understand himself why he did think so, and raised his eyebrow. "What about you?"

"Legolas.", the princeling replied, seemingly amused because Haldir didn't realize who he was. It was nice for a change to have someone not know him. Somehow. It way quite funny, for Legolas at least. Probably not for Haldir, if he knew.

And maybe Legolas wanted to keep it this way, at least for a while.

"So do you live in Lothlórien?", Legolas asked, curious eyes looking up at the trees over the border, which just seemed to be a bit brighter, to have this deep, magical glow he could not pin down, the soft whisper of their leaves a reassuring sound.

"I do.", Haldir replied proudly, now standing tall and still once again, like he was taught. Always be prepared, in case the other wanted to start an attack.

"But I am on duty right now and I should return.", Haldir said and gestured to the route he came from. He didn't wish for the other Marchwardens to find out that he had left his position. It could possibly ruin the bit of trust he had already earned.

Legolas let out a defeated sigh. Just when things became interesting.

"Do you wanna see some parts of my woods? It's only fair, since I got so close to Lothlórien thanks to you and could finally at least see the borders from really close. I never got this close before.", Legolas offered then.

To Haldirs own surprise, he found himself nodding.

"Yes, I'd like to see more of it.", he admitted. He had heard so many stories about the dark woods behind the borders, he wanted to see it.

"I will be waiting here.", Legolas stated and gestured to the trees around him. "I could wait on the trees for you, before you have to drop down again from one."

A grin spread over Legolas' face and he was lucky his legs carried him fast enough, for Haldir threw a pine he found on the ground after him.

"But I did scare you!", he called after him and perhaps a really small grin was hidden behind long hair once he turned around to the sound of Legolas' clear laugh somewhere between the trees.

—

The following days they kept meeting occasionally, whenever it was possible for the both of them to sneak away every now and then.

Haldir thought that maybe a friend besides his brothers wouldn't hurt, now and then. At least that was what Orophin had told him once the brothers noticed that Haldir wasn't only so excited for patrol. (Which included Haldirs very red cheeks when Oro asked him why he was such in a hurry an hour before he had to leave and why it was suddenly so important that his braids were even more neat than usually.)

And when even your younger brother told you to find some friends, you just take whatever life offers you. And Legolas really wasn't such bad company.

It was quite fun to climb with him through the trees, especially when he was off duty and had even more time he could spend with him.

They chased each other through branches and bushes, Legolas showed him his favorite places near the borders.

Unfortunately they never dared to go far in either direction, especially Haldir was careful not to take him too far into Lothlórien. They both didn't want to get into too much trouble and Haldir didn't want to lose their home. He was not sure what they would do if they realized that he let Legolas behind the borders and even showed him some places he had found and liked.

They shared lembas in the trees and fruits they each had brought along, Haldir shared stories about his brothers and Legolas told him how boring it was to be the only prince in such a big Kingdom and how his father was always worried that something might happen to him.

They spent endless hours just hanging around on branches, showing each other their archery skills while trying to hit certain leaves with their arrows.

Haldir even tried to show him once how the Marchwardens usually dropped out of the trees. This time without a weird embarrassing fall of course.

It wasn't until that one night, it was a clear, rather cold one as they sat on one of the highest branches, watching the night sky above them.

Legolas reached for Haldirs hand while they both intensely stared at the stars and tried to hide their both blushes from each other and still holding on to each others hands.

A few moments later Haldir quickly — really quickly — leaned over towards Legolas and kissed his cheek.

Both their cheeks heated up even more and Haldir wished the night would be just a little darker, so his red ears would be a little bit more hidden.

Legolas glanced over at Haldir from the corner of his eyes, grinning slightly before repeating the gesture. Quickly leaning over and — kiss on the cheek.

"I like you.", Legolas said then and dropped his head onto Haldirs shoulder, feet dangling from the branch.

Haldir looked over at Legolas and then smiled a little, nuzzling his nose into Legolas' hair.

He wasn't one to speak much about his feelings, but he hoped Legolas would know anyway.

So this became sort of their ritual, meeting up for the nights, holding hands and kissing each others cheeks for just a while.

Until that one night where Haldir decided to be a little bolder. Because in the end one of them had to be, right? And because his brothers kept teasing him about how he was scared to kiss Legolas properly.

So Haldir decided to kiss Legolas properly tonight. He just thought it was fitting, because Legolas looked really cute with a crown of leaves in his hair, one they made earlier together and how the moon mirrored in his eyes and how the blonde hair was weaved into braids Haldir also made earlier.

It couldn't be a better night.

Legolas thought the same, that it would be great if Haldir would finally make a move because he was simply too shy himself. He wasn't a shy person normally but things changed whenever Haldir was around. Haldir made him blush and giggle and made his pointy ears all hot whenever Haldir kissed his cheeks or hugged him or simply helped him up a tree, because Legolas wasn't attentive enough or stared a little too much at Haldir and missed a step.

Everything was different with him.

They climbed one of the highest trees, hoping to see some stars tonight. It was a clear night and also a full moon, which illuminated the trees around them in silver light and Legolas thought that Haldir was so beautiful like that.

He wore a flower crown Legolas made him earlier from flowers grown in mirkwood and Legolas thought that this made Haldir almost look like a prince himself.

Again Haldir took Legolas' hand as they sat there above everything else and Haldir explained the few constellations he could remember from his mother teaching him.

"You're staring.", Haldir said after a moment, lips twitching into a small grin.

"I am looking at the stars you showed me.", Legolas replied and grinned sheepishly, a faint blush already again creeping over his cheeks.

"The last time I checked, the stars were above us and not in my face.", Haldir said dryly and turned his head to look at the other elf.

Legolas didn't know what to say, so he just kept grinning at him and shrugged.

The young Marchwarden collected every ounce of self confidence he had as he grinned slightly back.

He leaned forward so quick, they both had to hold on to the branches as Haldir finally, finally kissed him.

Once Haldir had caught his balance, his hands came up to cup Legolas' cheeks, holding it so very gently.

Legolas leaned into the touch and kiss, not even caring about the fact that his ears turned into a hot pink.

This was so much better than he imagined.

And when the moon mirrored in Haldirs eyes, then Legolas did not know how he could ever move from Haldirs arms again, because there was nothing in this world he would exchange this feeling for.

They sat there for a while, kissing and holding hands, before Haldir moved to braid Legolas' hair.

Occasionally he kissed the others cheek during the braiding, smiling a bit to himself. He was quite proud of making the move. Now he got to kiss Legolas as much as they wanted.

And they did.

They kissed whenever they met. They kissed behind bushes, when Haldir was there first and waited for Legolas, the wood elf pulling the Marchwarden behind a bush in a surprise attack to kiss him.

They kissed when Legolas' was sitting underneath a tree and waited, Haldir simply dropping to his knees and kissing him right there on the ground.

They kissed when they braided each others hair, sometimes weaving little flowers into it they brought for each other from their homes.

It were small, purple ones from Lothlórien, which grew all around the trees and Haldir decided that Legolas would look great in them.

It were slightly bigger, red flowers from Mirkwood and Legolas couldn't get tired of the sight of them in Haldirs hair.

Honestly they both loved it so much, touching the little petals when they had to part and were finally alone again.

One time Haldir was caught with them by his brothers and accidentally ripped one of them out when Orophin was suddenly speaking up behind him.

So Rúmil took the flower from his hands and put it back into the braid as he had climbed on Haldirs lap.

"They're pretty.", he decided and hugged Haldir then.

Orophin grinned as he laid on the bed, watching his brothers.

"Are they from your secret friend?", he asked and Haldir blushed furiously. He told them to be quiet but the smile he was not able to hide.

"They are!", Rúmil exclaimed and chuckled. "You have to introduce us to him one day."

Little did they know that the introduction would be so much different than they expected it to be.

Somehow their meetings became less regular, both growing older and having way more responsibilities.

Haldir grew into his role as a Marchwarden and Legolas had to be the prince of Mirkwood.

"I am finally allowed to patrol the big route.", Haldir said quietly into the silence. They had been sitting here for hours maybe, holding each others hands tightly.

They both knew what this meant. Haldir would not take the little route alone anymore, he would be with the other Marchwardens in a different place.

"Father wants me to start my training properly.", Legolas told Haldir and they both tried so very hard to suppress their tears.

Legolas wished it wouldn't hurt so much and Haldir wished they could just...stay here. Forever. Maybe they could hide. But his brothers needed him and he wanted to be one of the big Marchwardens. He worked so hard for it.

The sun was going down, the last rays touching the green leaves above them.

"I have to leave.", Haldir said quietly and they held their hands a little tighter if that was even possible.

"I know.", Legolas whispered and their lips met in a fierce, desperate kiss, hands tangled in each others hair.

"Promise you don't forget me.", Legolas said quietly, leaning their foreheads together.

"Could never.", Haldir muttered and caressed over the others cheek and then raised Legolas' hand to kiss his knuckles. "Take care of yourself. Don't get into too much trouble."

"Says the one who falls from trees.", Legolas whispered which brought a little smile to both of their faces.

"Until we meet again?", Haldir asked and gazed into his eyes.

"One day.", Legolas agreed quietly.

Letting go of their hands might be the hardest thing they ever had to do.

Only one last kiss. One last stolen kiss.

—

Only years, so many years later, when Haldir caught some strangers in his forest, a few Hobbits, a dwarf, two men and an elf, did he finally get to see Legolas' wonderful face again.

They tried so hard to pretend they were strangers, but in the night, when everyone was asleep, Legolas' stole himself away and they finally got to kiss again.

They did not need words or anything. There were no words they could speak to explain what they felt.

But there was not even a need to.

Because when Haldir gazed into Legolas' eyes as he had pulled him behind a tree, in this moment he realized that if they would get all out of this war, of this moment, then he would never let go of him again.

"I missed you.", Legolas murmured.

"I missed you too.", Haldir replied, his stoic features not telling anything. But Legolas didn't need more, all he needed was to look into Haldirs eyes and he saw the young Marchwarden again.

As their lips met, they were suddenly young again and it felt like time had not passed at all. The feeling was still there, still so strong that it almost hurt.

And when Legolas returned in the late afternoon after a long night away to the Fellowship with purple flowers in his hair and when a certain Marchwarden with crimson red flowers suddenly came around to have a private talk from elf to elf, well, maybe no one really was surprised.

> _somewhere down the line I promise we will meet again, in a different place, a different time, a different life. That's the only thing that's keeping me sane, the promise that I know it's not over, it's not over... The timing was just off, and we were just too young, and our lives couldn't collide right now but, I hope I am right... and I hope that years down the road I will see you, and our eyes will meet again._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to those who are still here after I've been gone, for all your endless support, your kudos and your comments. I love reading them all and they keep making my day.
> 
> xoxo


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